The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-10-30

drove SLOWLY along behind her, walking
his horse, and watching her curiously He
was handsome fellow, dressed in coarse
gray. There were grain bags heaped up in
the back OF his wagon. just before he
reached the woman she sank quite down
i'll Il little heap by the wall.
Drunk! calculated the man. Then he
chirruped to his horse and cried "Whoa!"
almost in the same breath. lie threw the
lines over the horses back and spnng out,
then bent closely over the PROSTATE figure
by the wall and looked in her face. Good
Lord" said he. "She amt drunk-sho's
in dead faint"
There lay thepoor young creature on the
green grass, among her little plaster images
and her rags Heriace was white as death.
Poor thing!' muttered the young man,
and began rubbing her hands. 81 wish |
had some water" said he.
Presently she began to gasp and try to
rise.
There, there" said he, soothingly hold
ing her down, Gle still minute. Ii you
get right up now, you'll faint away again,
Feel sick, don't your"
sob, dear" groaned the girl.
you'll feel better in minute; just lie
still" he continued, rubbing her hands;
she fixed her great eyes on him dazcdly.
Where are you going| asked he pres
emily.
Boston"
well, I'm going two miles that way,
and I'll take you along rs far as go.
Were you going to stop along to sell these
things"
"No; I've got to go right home. I'm
sick"
"Well, I'd 60 right home II were you.
Suppose you can get into the wagon ii |
help you, now?'
I'D jist as soon walk. 1 don't want to
make no trouble"
Trouble? | guess il won't be much
trouble. There, I'll stow away the basket
and the bundle in behind here. Now!'
He almost lifted her into the seat, then
sprang up beside her and took the lines.
She rceled when the horse started, and lac
caught hold Of her III guess ! shall have
to hold you in till you get a little steadier,
said he, laughing. ''Iour feet don't touch
the floor anyway, do theyN
amy onecppld get shook out mighty
easy going bier the rough places il they
didn sit pretty firm. Been away from
home long?'
"a week"
pretty hard work travelling round this
way, amt it,"
awful hard, said the girl. Then she
suddenly began sobbing and crying. "Oh
dear oh dear" said she.
Don't cry. ] wouldn't"
81 can't help il; I'm tired TO DEATH an
II amt often anybody treats me the way
4 A..
me generally
"Well, they ought to. It's more Than
I'd want 10 do myself tramping round
from morning till night Juggling those
things. | shouldn't think you'd hay,
strength enough"
"My arms ache drcadiully sometimes
81 should think they would" The
young man said this in an absent WAY,
looking ahead uncasily. They were com.
ing to n house on the left side Of the road
There was blue glimmcr out IN the yard
as they drove along; they could see through
the trees that it was the blue dress OF o
| girl who was moving about there.
The one In the wagon Strengthened her
self up and brushed her shawl acrss hci
wet eyes. Don't you want me To git on
now?' asked she.
Get out?' said the young man. "Why
We haven't gone half mile yet" still h,
looked embarrassed and doubtful
81 didn't know but you'd want me Ia
We'rc coming 90 n house.
"what II we are? The house won
mind, guess"
81 didn't know rs you'd want to be seci
riding with anybody like me"
81 don't care who I'm seen riding with
as long ~ they behave themselves; and yOr
are doing that ~ far as | see.
There amt no need Of your holdinG
me in, anyhow; ! amt inint none now.
The young man relaxed his grasp Of hci
arm very gladly ~ they passed the HOUSE
| The girl in the yard bowed and hal
smiled, with a wondering stare. "Whon
| has he got?' she seemed to say. lie ~
turned her bow, raising his hat with indie
pendent Stiffness, His face WIS very ~,
~ lac did ~.
The china pcddcr looked half dcprcca,
ingly, half curiously, m the girl in th'
yard, then nj her companion. as tia
your girl2" she asked. after they In,
passed. She did not ask II boldly 1T all
rather sympAthizlngly.
lie bluslicd rnddcr, looked at her hal
angrily, then lac laughed. 'Shc dOcsn'
mean any HARM" he thought "No,
said he; 81 haven't got any girl; don
want any. Girls don't amount Ia much
All they care about Is new bonncls an'
dresses"
sis ~"
Don't y,niY" lac said. Then hc stoppc'
suddenly. For n second lac had though
Of her and spoken 10 her ~ a girl anon
other girls But was she, this poor. pal
little creature, with hct basket and bun
die? She WIS nothing like the girl WHOM
they had left bphnd in the grrcn yarl
She had pretty face, though; lac admit
ted that looking nj her now mon crit
cally than he had done. II was small an
sharp, but gracefully outlined. She had
pretty way Of turning her head when sh
spoke too.
"Alc?' said she.
ayes, YOU" He wished lac had sai
nothing. II seemed cruel
III never had no new DRESSES nor bonnet
90 know
Before long they reached the lnrgr whit
farmhouse where the young man lived
lie drove straight up into the yard, disr'
gnrling the girls query ~ Ia whether Nh
was not Ia be left In the rad. \ sion
goOdiaccd woman opened the door Us ]
drove In.
"Who have you 90, there, Wells Jcilc
son2' she thought ~ vigorously that III
sun seemed fairly 90 hear IL, though NJ
only stood looking, and her tongue vi
, still.
"lIullo, mother" said he, with q NJ
aud q look which implied, Watt III {,
you In minute"
n Then he got out Of the wagon, ~
reached up 10 help the girl down. "l'
e 90 right into the house and III down
said he.
"Oh, no; amt goin' in"
eyes, you are; You mind what ! ~
Won 20 In and rat n while. then ill car